DAS or Get over myself?
Discussion
RemyMartin said:
Sounds daft when I say it out aloud or even in text, but learning to ride a bike 11 years ago was best thing, my biggest regret is not getting a cbt 9 years prior when I 16...I'd be some moto gp god or something lol well that's what I tell myself.
No question. Do it, life is for living not thinking or procrastination.
This, I waited till 30 then had it all done an dusted in space of a few months (CBT then 2 weekend lessons then DAS and theory test) 37 now dont currently own a bike but will do in near future again.No question. Do it, life is for living not thinking or procrastination.
Do it worst that happens is you ride a big bike decide actually you don't like it and stop least you will know
Do your DAS and get on two wheels!
I was fortunate enough to be able to do my test before all this DAS business came in - December '96 I think, one of the last few to pass under the old rules.
Back then you could pass your test and ride whatever you liked, provided you could afford to buy and insure it. I've never looked back since (apart from when doing my lifesaver, of course!).
We've now got a 1yo kid and my missus is already banging on about him getting into bikes against her wishes because of me. She fails to realise that the first word of my Twitter biog says 'Biker'. Those 20yrs on two wheels define who I am, it's the first word I use to describe myself.
Which all sounds a bit uber-w
ky, but what I'm getting at is that most people I know, once they've done it, only wish they'd done it sooner.
I was fortunate enough to be able to do my test before all this DAS business came in - December '96 I think, one of the last few to pass under the old rules.
Back then you could pass your test and ride whatever you liked, provided you could afford to buy and insure it. I've never looked back since (apart from when doing my lifesaver, of course!).
We've now got a 1yo kid and my missus is already banging on about him getting into bikes against her wishes because of me. She fails to realise that the first word of my Twitter biog says 'Biker'. Those 20yrs on two wheels define who I am, it's the first word I use to describe myself.
Which all sounds a bit uber-w
ky, but what I'm getting at is that most people I know, once they've done it, only wish they'd done it sooner. Tyre Smoke said:
I'm 50, and when I was 16 did all the Yam Fizz and then Suzuki GT125 and then, just as I'm about to take my bike test, I bought a Vauxhall Viva and the rest is history.
Fast forward to now, and I have always regretted not passing my bike test. I'd really like the option to take out my bike for a spin with my 12 year old son on a sunny Sunday.
So, am I just pandering to a mid life crisis, or should I do my bike test? Is DAS the best way to do it, and what should I be looking for bike wise when I pass?
I'm fully prepared for the "middle aged tosser, weekend wannabe" comments, which may well be justified, I guess I'm looking for a reality check.
I was 52 when I did the DAS last year. You'll either enjoy it or you wont, but if you don't do it you'll always wish that you had. Fast forward to now, and I have always regretted not passing my bike test. I'd really like the option to take out my bike for a spin with my 12 year old son on a sunny Sunday.
So, am I just pandering to a mid life crisis, or should I do my bike test? Is DAS the best way to do it, and what should I be looking for bike wise when I pass?
I'm fully prepared for the "middle aged tosser, weekend wannabe" comments, which may well be justified, I guess I'm looking for a reality check.
Best decision I made was to do my DAS (well so far).
Firstly you'll find out whether bikes are for you or not. And while it probably won't make you a die-hard bike fan, if you at least like it, it opens the door.
Secondly, if you don't like it, well at least you tried so less chance of future regrets.
Firstly you'll find out whether bikes are for you or not. And while it probably won't make you a die-hard bike fan, if you at least like it, it opens the door.
Secondly, if you don't like it, well at least you tried so less chance of future regrets.
I've ridden all sorts hundreads of track days, enduros, etc, etc - and I'd never take a 12 year old on a bike! (despite having 4 kids)
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
Tyre Smoke said:
I'm 50, and when I was 16 did all the Yam Fizz and then Suzuki GT125 and then, just as I'm about to take my bike test, I bought a Vauxhall Viva and the rest is history.
Fast forward to now, and I have always regretted not passing my bike test. I'd really like the option to take out my bike for a spin with my 12 year old son on a sunny Sunday.
So, am I just pandering to a mid life crisis, or should I do my bike test? Is DAS the best way to do it, and what should I be looking for bike wise when I pass?
I'm fully prepared for the "middle aged tosser, weekend wannabe" comments, which may well be justified, I guess I'm looking for a reality check.
Get it done. Bike test is the best think I ever did.Fast forward to now, and I have always regretted not passing my bike test. I'd really like the option to take out my bike for a spin with my 12 year old son on a sunny Sunday.
So, am I just pandering to a mid life crisis, or should I do my bike test? Is DAS the best way to do it, and what should I be looking for bike wise when I pass?
I'm fully prepared for the "middle aged tosser, weekend wannabe" comments, which may well be justified, I guess I'm looking for a reality check.
Tiggsy said:
I've ridden all sorts hundreads of track days, enduros, etc, etc - and I'd never take a 12 year old on a bike! (despite having 4 kids)
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
I see your point, but I disagree. I know myself,my capabilities and my son and his capacity for understanding about bikes. I'm not exactly new to biking, but also realise that things have moved on somewhat! Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
If I wanted a Caterfield I wouldn't have started this thread.
Try it. A few years ago (I was 35), a change in parking arrangements at work led me down the route of looking at getting a 125 scooter...which entailed doing CBT.
For fun I opted to take the CBT on a geared bike and instantly fell in love with riding one. I had a few months until the tests were changing so bought a 125 (Suzuki Van Van) and through a combination of practice and YouTube videos managed to pass my Mod 1 and 2, first time on consecutive days .....and hence got a 2 year A1 restricted licence.
Pretty much instantly I stopped enjoying the 125 and sold it a few months later. I think most of the enjoyment was the challenge of passing the test and once that was achieved the limitations of the bike became frustrating.
The 2 year restricted period has now passed so I could ride anything (though I would sign up for some training), but I haven't got the urge to do so at the moment.
At least with DAS you avoid that dip and hopefully stay in love with riding. I'm sure you'll have a pretty enjoyable week regardless.
For fun I opted to take the CBT on a geared bike and instantly fell in love with riding one. I had a few months until the tests were changing so bought a 125 (Suzuki Van Van) and through a combination of practice and YouTube videos managed to pass my Mod 1 and 2, first time on consecutive days .....and hence got a 2 year A1 restricted licence.
Pretty much instantly I stopped enjoying the 125 and sold it a few months later. I think most of the enjoyment was the challenge of passing the test and once that was achieved the limitations of the bike became frustrating.
The 2 year restricted period has now passed so I could ride anything (though I would sign up for some training), but I haven't got the urge to do so at the moment.
At least with DAS you avoid that dip and hopefully stay in love with riding. I'm sure you'll have a pretty enjoyable week regardless.
Tiggsy said:
My point wasnt about your bike skills - simply that being on a bike is dangerous and (for me) i'd want the person on the back to be fully aware of that - I dont think most non-riders (and certainly not kids) know that.
My daughters (13 and 12) are now big enough to wear my wife's bike kit, so I've taken them both out on the back a couple of times recently. I didn't push it at all, they came up with the idea themselves. One of them really liked it and wants to do more, the other was a bit "meh" about it.I don't really agree with the statement that "bikes are dangerous". Bikes are very dangerous IF you ride like a t
t. If you ride sensibly, then I think they're no more dangerous than many other activities that kids are allowed to do with a lot less scrutiny (e.g. ride bicycles on the road, ride horses, do gymnastics, all of which mine have done or still do). Sure, there is always some risk of being taken out in a SMIDSY incident, but ultra-defensive riding can minimise that to a very small risk, in my view.So to the OP: Get on and do your test, do some advanced training, and you can confidently take your son out with minimal risk
Tiggsy said:
I've ridden all sorts hundreads of track days, enduros, etc, etc - and I'd never take a 12 year old on a bike! (despite having 4 kids)
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
I went on the back of my dads bikes all through my childhood and I'm still alive. I was 7 the first time I went on the back of his brand new G1 zx6r, and went through zx9r's, fireblades, B2H's, z750's etc. All without coming to any harm. Let him take his son on his bike if he wants...Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
Having said that I have single seats on my bikes purely because I don't WANT to take anyone on the back, I have all the stuff to do so if I did though.
OP just do it, you won't regret it
Tiggsy said:
I've ridden all sorts hundreads of track days, enduros, etc, etc - and I'd never take a 12 year old on a bike! (despite having 4 kids)
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
Anyway - my point was simply, you may do your test and realise - this is SOOOOO great (but also so risky) and never stick your kid anywhere near it. Get a Catherham for sunday blasts with him!
Each to their own. My two boys went pillion on my bikes from about the age of 6 onwards. They're now 15 and 13 end enjoy going pillion. We even have an annual long weekend trip to France every year (a friend provides the other pillion seat).
Everything in life is a risk but everyone only gets 1 childhood. The last thing I would want is my kids growing up having never been allowed to experience the things that I do every day because "it's too dangerous".
Tiggsy said:
I've ridden all sorts hundreads of track days, enduros, etc, etc - and I'd never take a 12 year old on a bike! (despite having 4 kids)
Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
In which case, you'd be as well rip out the passenger seats in your car while you're at it.Bikes a not safe which is cool as a choice YOU make...but a 12 year old has no idea and I'd not want to put one of mine on the back with me - in fact, I'm not keen on being responsible for ANY one on the back, let alone my kid. I'm doing the US on a Harley next year with the GF and she's getting her test done before we go so she can ride her own rather than go with me.
I just think people getting on the back of bikes should be riders and know the risk.....kids/GF/non riders have little idea whats involved when it goes wrong.
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